TUTORIAL

Q1 Table 1 shows the result of the in situ CBR (California Bearing Ratio) test of the rod-base
layer of the road construction. Based on the result, conduct the analysis to identify either the
road base layer fullfill the requirement of the construction. Use the information given for the
analysis:

i. Calibration factor of the dial gauge of proving ring = 0.02 kN/division

ii. Standard load for penetration of 2.5 mm is 13.24 kN and 5.0 mm is 19.96 kN
iii. Minimum CBR value for road base = 80%

Table 1
Dial
Penetration
Gauge Load (kN)
(mm)
(div)
0.00 0 0.00
0.25 40 0.80
0.50 120 2.40
0.75 210 4.20
1.00 300 6.00
1.25 375 7.50
1.50 405 8.10
1.75 450 9.00
2.00 515 10.30
2.25 580 11.60
2.50 620 12.40
2.75 660 13.20
3.00 700 14.00
3.25 735 14.70
3.50 770 15.40
3.75 810 16.20
4.00 830 16.60
4.25 850 17.00
4.50 875 17.50
4.75 900 18.00
5.00 920 18.40

1. Calculate load (kN) – Dial gauge (div) x Calibration factor (kN/Div)

(20 rows start from penetration 0.25mm x 0.1 mark = 2 marks)
2. Plot graf load (kN) with penetration (mm)
- Y axis (1 mark)
 - X axis (1 mark)
- Correct CBR curve (1 mark)

20.00
18.00
16.00
14.00
Load (kN) 12.00
10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00
Penetration (mm)

3. Calculate CBR

Load at 2.5 mm = 12.40 kN (0.5 mark)

CBR = (12.40/13.24) x 100 = 93.66 % = 94 % (1 mark)

Load at 5.0 mm = 18.40 kN (0.5 mark)

CBR = (18.40/19.96) x 100 = 92.18 % = 92 % (1 mark)

Summary/conclusion.
CBR for the material is 94 %. Since this value is bigger than the requirement value
which is 80%, the road base layer comply with the requirement. (1 mark)

(9 marks)
Q2 According to the Specification for the Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR 2008)), crushed
aggregate roadbase material shall be crushed rock or crushed gravel, or a mixture of crushed and
natural aggregates which is hard, durable, clean and essentially free from clay and other
deleterious material. Besides that, the material gradation also shall comply with the envelope as
shown in TABLE 2(a) for the type specified. Based on the result of the sieve analysis for a
sample of crushed aggregate from the Quarry Batu Pahat as shown in TABLE 2(b), determine
either the material is suitable or not to be used as a roadbase material for Type II.

B.S. Sieve % Passing by Weight

Size Type 1 Type II
50.0 mm 100 100
37.5 mm 95 – 100 85 – 100
28.0 mm - 70 – 100
20.0 mm 60 – 80 60 – 90
10.0 mm 40 – 60 40 – 65
5.0 mm 25 – 40 30 – 55
2.36 mm 15 – 30 -
2.00 mm - 20 – 40
600 µm 8 – 22 -
425 µm - 10 – 25
75 µm 0-8 2 - 10

Table 1: Gradation limits for crushed aggregate roadbase (Jabatan Kerja Raya, 2008)

B.S. Sieve Size Weight Retained (g)

50.0 mm 110.30
37.5 mm 161.10
28.0 mm 229.80
20.0 mm 592.30
10.0 mm 995.30
5.0 mm 785.20
2.00 mm 675.70
425 µm 1185.30
 75 µm 620.00
Pan 205.00

Table 2: Sieve analysis result of crushed aggregate for roadbase material

(c) Determine the % passing of the road base material based on the sieve analysis test result
as shown in Table 1.
(9 marks)

0.1 x 10 = 1 mark
Table 1
Weight % Passing
Saiz Weight retained passing
0.1 x 10 = 1 mark
50 110.3 5449.7 98

37.5 161.1 5288.6 95

28 229.8 5058.8 91
20 592.3 4466.5 80
10 995.3 3471.2 62
5 785.2 2686 48
2 675.7 2010.3 36
0.425 1185.3 825 15
0.075 620 205 4
0 205 0 0
Total 5560 ( 1 mark)

Then plot the gradation curve of the tested material and the limits from the specification
(Type II) as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

% passing with size (mm) for road base material

100

80
% passing

60
Lower
40
Upper
20 Tested

0
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Size (mm)

Figure 1 (criteria of the marks)

 Y axis – 1 mark Upper limit curve – 1 mark
X axis – 1 mark Lower limit curve – 1 mark
Tested material curve – 1 mark

According to the gradation curve, it shows that the size of the tested road base material is
comply to the size of the specification. Therefore, the material is accepted to be used as
road base material for the road construction. ........(1 mark)
(9 marks)

(c) A 1 meter cube of an asphalt concrete mixture contains 2000 kg of aggregate and
5.5% of asphalt binder (from the total weight of aggregate). Asphalt absorption of
the aggregates is 1.2%. The bulk relative density of the aggregates and asphalt are
2.67, and the relative density of the asphalt is 1.03.

(i) Find the asphalt content, effective asphalt content and asphalt absorption.

= 2000*(1.2/100) = 24 kg(1 mark)

=[(5.5/100)*2000]-24=110-24=86kg (2 mark)
MB
asphalt content, PB  = (110/2110)*100 = 5.2% (1 mark)
M
M
effective asphalt content, PBE  BE = (86/2110)*100= 4.08% (1 mark)
M
M BA
asphalt absorption, PBA  = (24/2110)*100 = 1.14% (1 mark)
MG
(6 marks)

(ii) Calculate void in mineral aggregate and void filled with asphalt.

VBE=86/(1.03*1000) =0.0835(1 mark)

VG=2000/(2.67*1000) =0.749 (1 mark)
Volume of air between coated in mix, VA  V  VG  VBE 
VA  1  0.749  0.0835  0.1675m3 (1 mark)
So, void in mineral aggregate,
VMA 
VBE  VA  = [(0.0835 + 0.1675)/1]*100 = 25.1 % (1 mark)
V
0.0835
void filled with asphalt, VFA 
0.0835  0.1675
x 100 = 33.26% (2 mark)

(6 marks)